The word satire can be defined as the use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, etc. There are many songs that use satire, but you may not even know it.
The word irony can be defined as the use of words convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning. You have to read deeper into lyrics of songs to find the irony and it might not always be direct.
The song Subterranean Homesick Blues by Bob Dylan is an example of satire in music. If you read the lyrics closely, you can find some references to some things, such as drugs and government. The first line, "Johnny's in the basement mixing up the medicine..." can refer to drugs as the 'medicine.' There are a couple of references and people have different views on what they mean. But overall, this song is talking about a lot of different things. There are references to the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, the Beatles (Johnny is John Lennon), Hippies and the song could be seen as a movement against established order. Some people say this song is really trying to say be yourself as one of the cards in the video says, "DIG YOURSELF."
The song With God On Our Side by Bob Dylan is another example of satire in music. In the lyrics, each stanza, except the last one, ends with, 'When God's in its side," or something like that. This song is about how people use God or religion as an excuse for war. In reality, God has nothing to do with war.
The fifth stanza says, 'When the Second World War, Came to an end, We forgave the Germans, And we were friends, Though they murdered six million, In the ovens they fried, The Germans now too, Have God on their side." This stanza is very important. It shows that even though the Germans murdered six million people and now they have God on their side. But, does that make sense? No. This shows that people use God or religion as an excuse for war, and that is what the song is satarizing.
The song Blowin' in the Wind by Bob Dylan is another example of satire and irony in music. This song is a series of questions. The first line asks, "How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?" The stanza ends with the answer of, "The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind." This means that the answer is not known, it's intangible. This song does not give you the answers of why how many times must the cannon balls fly
before theyre forever banned. Nobody knows the answers and things like war will continue.
Pete Seeger's American War Songs Medley is another example of satire in music. His American War Songs Medley is a bunch of war-inspired songs. Pete Seeger points out our history but not in a good way. For example, he sings a song about John Brown's body moldin' in the grave. He's trying to show that war isn't the best thing if you're going to die and 'mold in the grave.' Then there is another song written by black soldiers who talk about cuts tasting like iodine and them wanting to go home. Pete turns these pride filled songs into not so pretty songs to show that war is really not that great.
The song Outside A Small Circle of Friends by Phil Ochs is another example of satire. Right off the bat, when you hear the song, there is a happy melody to it. But this song is not a happy song. The first opening lyric says, "Oh, look outside the window there's a woman being grabbed ... Maybe we should call the cops and try to stop the pain, but Monopoly is so much fun I'd hate to blow this game." Then the song states, "And I'm sure it wouldn't interest, anybody, outside a small circle of friends." Just from the opening stanza, you can tell that the song satarizes how people won't do anything like call the police if they witness a murder, unless it involved themselves. This song also uses references to the Kitty Genovese murder, which is talked about in the very first stanza that I quoted above.
The song Born In The U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen is another example of satire in music. The title might make you think that this song is all about being proud to be born in the U.S.A., but if you read the lyrics, you might reconsider your original thoughts. The song itself is telling the story of a boy sent off to fight in the Vietnam war, "I got in a little hometown jam, And so they put a rifle in my hands, Sent me off to Vietnam, To go and kill the yellow man." This song also contains irony. You are sent out to war ... aren't you proud to be born in the U.S.A.?
The song We Made You by Eminem is a more modern example of satire and irony. Eminem is known for making fun of celebrities in his songs. We Made You is his newest. He puts celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Lindsay Lohan, and others on a pedestal, but he is really making fun of them. The song is satarizing how celebrities think they are the best, but what's ironic about it is that we really make fun of them in our gossip and news.
The song Hero of War by Rise Against is an example of satire and irony in music. This song is about war. The chorus says, "A hero of war, Yeah, that's what I'll be, And when I come home, They'll be damn proud of me, I'll carry this flag, To the grave if I must, Because it's flag that I love, And a flag that I trust." But, when you read parts of the song, the lyrics state, "They took off his clothes, They pissed in his hands, I told them to stop, But then I joined in, We beat him with guns, And batons not just once, But again and again." That's ironic that the speaker wants to be a hero of war, but does a hero really torture people again and again? This song shows that a hero of war isn't exactly like a superhero and you have to go through a lot of difficult situations in the war.
The word satire can be defined as the use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, etc. There are many songs that use satire, but you may not even know it.
The word irony can be defined as the use of words convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning. You have to read deeper into lyrics of songs to find the irony and it might not always be direct.
The fifth stanza says, 'When the Second World War, Came to an end, We forgave the Germans, And we were friends, Though they murdered six million, In the ovens they fried, The Germans now too, Have God on their side." This stanza is very important. It shows that even though the Germans murdered six million people and now they have God on their side. But, does that make sense? No. This shows that people use God or religion as an excuse for war, and that is what the song is satarizing.
Before you call him a man?" The stanza ends with the answer of, "The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind." This means that the answer is not known, it's intangible. This song does not give you the answers of why how many times must the cannon balls fly
before theyre forever banned. Nobody knows the answers and things like war will continue.